


take on me

by miracleboysatori



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bowling AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-26 04:38:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20736356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miracleboysatori/pseuds/miracleboysatori
Summary: Ushijima watches with dread as Tendou rolls yet another perfect ball, sending all ten pins flying as he cheers for himself. The score is definitely unbalanced now. Ushijima wonders if he has any chance of defeating Tendou at this point. Maybe it would be easier to throw in the towel and call it a night before the end of the game even approaches.But that would be giving up, and Ushijima doesnotgive up.





	take on me

**Author's Note:**

> For day 6 of ushiten week, aka AU day, I started probably the most niche fic I'll ever write LOL. 
> 
> For context, my family has been bowling ever since I was a baby, my dad was an incredible bowler who amassed a lot of trophies and bowling rings (I own a few of them now). Unfortunately I'm not nearly as good as he ever was, but I genuinely enjoy this sport and I thought it would be fun to write about it. I thought it would be interesting to see just how differently Ushijima and Tendou would approach bowling. 
> 
> For the record, I bowl exactly like Ushijima does: straight down the lane, no nonsense. Hooks confuse and overwhelm me, but my brother has a really good one. I'm probably speaking gibberish to a lot of you, but I hope you enjoy even if you know nothing about bowling! I tried to make it as clear as possible. ;;
> 
> And, if it wasn't obvious, the title comes from 'Take On Me' by a-ha. It's just one of those songs that I associate with old bowling alleys that still plays 80s music. They're very nostalgic to me, and they feel like home.
> 
> I hope you enjoy! As a reminder, I don't have a beta, but I'll look over this in a few days and check for mistakes. For now, I apologize in advance for any that are there. Because of how much and how fast I was writing the past couple weeks, there may be more than normal, but I really hope not!
> 
> Thanks for reading ;; ♡

The scent of freshly oiled lanes and shoe disinfectant have always been a source of comfort for Ushijima. As he approaches the building he frequents several times a week, sliding doors with dark tinted windows ease open, practically welcoming him into a space that he might call his home if he were ever kicked out of his current apartment. He’s certain that would never happen, but it’s always nice to feel like there’s another place in the world that offers the same comforts.

The man at the front desk instantly recognizes him, not even removing the cigarette from between his lips as he waves off the money Ushijima is offering him. This happens regularly nowadays, but he wouldn’t feel right if he didn’t offer to pay anyway. 

“Lane one is all yours,” the man mumbles, gesturing with his thumb towards the very end of the building -- Ushijima’s preferred area to bowl.

Ushijima nods in thanks and quickly glances at the high score board on the wall. Unsurprisingly, it appears he’s still in first place, though he’s still very closely trailed by another name that he recognizes. He’s never met Tendou Satori, but it’s clear that his bowling skills are impressive, and he’s certainly posing Ushijima a strong -- and refreshing -- challenge every single week. Before he’d seen that name on the board, there was almost no competition for Ushijima.

Readjusting the ball bag slung over his shoulder, Ushijima heads towards the end of the building. The bowling alley isn’t busy tonight, save for a couple of families with young children. This is typically Ushijima’s favorite time to come bowling, when it’s quiet and offering almost no distractions.

The employees have even turned down the music playing from the overhead speakers. Ushijima makes a quick mental note to thank them later, as he’s certain they must have done that just for him. It’s unfortunate that competitive leagues and professional tournaments that he’s been a part of have never offered that comfort, but he understands why it could be seen as an added advantage for him over other players. Personally, he prefers the uninterrupted sounds of a bowling ball rushing down the lane, the clattering of pins falling to the floor.

Ushijima plops his bag down next to the table for his lane, stepping up towards an old screen with faded buttons and a permanent line through its center. He can remember when he was younger, when this technology seemed so otherworldly and incredible, when he was too short to reach the panel of buttons and his father had to input his name for him.

Now that he’s grown and extremely experienced in this space, Ushijima presses a few buttons and stares at the screen now showing his name and several blank boxes. Boxes that he’s sure will house a number of ‘X’s and probably a few dashes as well. Strikes are obviously his preferred outcome, but he doesn’t mind a few spares here and there, especially if he’s simply bowling as practice.

He steps back, rummaging through his bag and slipping on a pair of freshly cleaned black and white bowling shoes. Next comes his bowling ball, a 16-pound deep gray powerhouse with faint washes of navy spread across its surface. He’s never cared much for flashy bowling balls; if anything, he finds them quite distracting. The purpose of a bowling ball is simply to knock pins down, not to garner even more attention than the satisfying explosion at the end of the lane.

Even so, he pulls a towel out of his bag and carefully wipes down the ball’s surface. If there’s any oil leftover from the last time he bowled, he’d prefer to get rid of it instead of letting it interfere with the oil pattern on the lane.

Though, truthfully, he’s never worried too much about oil patterns. As a no-nonsense, straight down the lane kind of bowler, the pattern of a lane doesn’t really affect his performance. There are little to no factors that impact him as a bowler; as long as he hits his target accurately and provides the necessary amount of force to execute a perfect shot, he gets the result he wants: a loud explosion of pins and a bold ‘X’ in the corresponding box.

After cleaning off his weapon of choice, Ushijima plops it down on the ball return, eyeing the lane as he makes sure his hands are completely dry. He takes a few seconds to rub the soles of his shoes against the floor, checking for any spots where he might stick. The lane and hardwood floor appear to be in good shape, as usual. 

With his bowling ball resting comfortably in his hand, Ushijima carefully aligns his feet with his usual choice of floor marking. He keeps his eyes fixed on his target - just between pins 1 and 2. Taking a deep breath, he takes a few steps forward, keeping his feet aligned as he swings his arm and releases his ball. It quickly rolls down the lane, colliding with the pins and sending a loud crashing sound through the alley. The sound echoes satisfyingly through Ushijima’s head, and an equally satisfying ‘X’ fills his first frame box. 

Some cheesy animation from the 90s plays on the television above his lane, but he ignores that. He generally does, given that they don’t provide much besides taking up time before he can see his overall score. His ball rolls back into the ball return and he’s ready for another round 

Another strike follows, then a few spares. While he’d obviously prefer to make perfect crashing strikes every single time, he’s firmly aware that he’ll miss his mark sometimes. As skilled as he is, he is not a perfect bowler. His first game ends with a score of 183 -- an overall decent score, though he generally likes to make at least 200 if not a rare but perfect 300. He assumes he’ll do better next game, since this one is simply a warmup. 

At some point during his second game, a young boy cautiously walks over with his mother, enthusiastically pointing in Ushijima’s direction and making excited noises when he manages yet another strike. When Ushijima turns around to collect his ball again, the boy claps, yelling out to Ushijima as his mother gives an apologetic wave.

Ushijima nods in her direction, quickly waves back at the boy. This isn’t unusual; he generally becomes quite the spectacle when he’s bowling for leisure. Truthfully, that’s why he likes to choose the end lanes. Avoiding any attention is much more preferred, as he worries that any sort of distraction could deter him from playing at his best. 

The duo return back to their own lane, and it appears that the boy’s enthusiasm has increased after watching Ushijima bowl. He’s now cheering loudly every single time he rolls the ball, whether he hits one pin or more. It’s nice to see such enthusiasm from a child over a sport that has lost its popularity over the years, but still… quiet would make things much easier in terms of accuracy and focus. 

His second game ends with a lower score that his first, though not by much. He chalks it up to distractions, telling himself that he can’t have an ideal atmosphere every single night he bowls, that would be impossible. Part of bowling well is learning to overcome and ignore those distractions and play flawlessly anyway.

Ushijima quickly learns that he’s being offered an even harder challenge in terms of these things, much to his disappointment.

A man with shockingly bright red hair, who looks to be about Ushijima’s age, shoves through the front door of the alley, announcing his arrival and engaging in a complicated handshake with the man at the front desk. Ushijima, currently cleaning off his ball again, can barely keep up with this guy’s movements as he saunters through the room and makes himself at home at a center lane. He’s whistling along with the music, which Ushijima notices they’ve turned back up again. If Ushijima thought the young boy would pose a threat to his intense focus, he can already recognize that this man will be at least ten times more difficult.

Even if the man had been quiet upon entering, Ushijima would have been able to guess by his attire. He has on a bright, neon color-blocked bowling shirt, a pair of black slacks rolled up enough to reveal socks with some sort of loud design, and, probably the most noisy: a pair of bowling shoes in lime green and neon orange. Judging by this, Ushijima can tell he might be a professional. Either that, or a wannabe who’s spent a lot of money to look like he can play with the pros. 

If he had to guess, Ushijima would go with the second option. He’s seen people like this before, loudmouths who waltz around with an aura of confidence that they simply can’t validate with their lackluster bowling skills. It’s quite childish, but really, Ushijima doesn’t care about these people, he’s mostly indifferent. If they want to spend large amounts of money on something just to look cool, that’s their problem. Ushijima doesn’t have to show his skills through any fancy gear, he lets his abilities speak for themselves.

Before the man even pulls the bowling ball out of his equally bright bag, Ushijima knows it’s going to be extremely flashy and bright, probably covered in a glittery finish too. He ends up being half correct; the ball is covered in a neon red, mint green, and deep almost-black blue wash. No glitter, but Ushijima’s sure that the manufacturer probably guessed that would be far too much along with the colors. Of course, it has a model name on it too, but from here Ushijima can’t quite make out what it says. 

He forces himself to tear his eyes away from the stranger. Why is he wasting time giving this guy his attention when he should be fully focused on his own game? Generally, he plays three games as practice, so he decides to get his third started before the stranger has too much of a chance to distract him further. By this point, he’s starting to feel the burn in his wrist; it’s a sensation he actually likes, because it’s proof that he’s utilizing all of his body’s power.

He’s positioning himself on the lane, preparing to roll his ball straight down the lane, right between the 1 and 2 pins, taking a deep breath before making his few steps up to the foul line, bringing his arm back in the process, locking his wrist in place —

“Ahhhh-yup!” 

The stranger’s strange call completely breaks Ushijima’s focus, causing him to accidentally cross the foul line and nearly drop his ball right on his foot. Recovering from his fumble, and hoping that no one caught it despite the lane buzzing shrewdly at him, Ushijima looks over into the stranger’s direction. He’s _still_ cheering, pumping his fists in the air and —

Ushijima glances at the man’s lane, notices with absolute shock that he’s somehow managed a strike. A fluke, surely. How in the world would someone be able to focus and knock the pins down when their own voice is bursting out of their mouth like that? 

Still feeling a bit embarrassed, and avoiding looking at his own scoreboard, Ushijima steps back to wipe at his ball again. It doesn’t need it, but, annoyingly, his curiosity has spiked. He wants to know if this man really did just have a fluke or, less believable, if he has the skill necessary to back up his entire getup. Under the guise of taking care of his own equipment, he watches carefully in that direction, trying not to be too obvious.

The stranger calms down from his previous frame, doing a strange little dance to the 80s music playing through the speakers while stepping up to the ball return. He beckons his ball, taking it lovingly in his hands and blowing into the finger holes. His right hand is now braced with a red and black wrist support — what equipment does this guy _not_ have? — which Ushijima guesses is _not_ bright because manufacturers simply don’t make them that way. He’s surprised he hadn’t specially ordered a custom one with some type of obnoxious color.

Ushijima continues watching as the man positions himself on the lane, so far to the left that he’s basically standing on the lane next to him. Either the guy has a killer hook or he’s just being showy and trying to get as much attention as possible. Ushijima vaguely feels silly for giving the stranger exactly what he wants, but he’s still trying to be as low key as possible about it. 

His form is actually very professional, which comes as yet another surprise to Ushijima. He’s starting to feel like his previous assumptions may be false. He knows it’s wrong to judge people simply by their appearance, but sheer experience alone has taught him that people like this… well, they’re usually all the same. 

The stranger locks himself in place for a moment, eyes wide and scarily focused on the pins at the end of the lane. Ushijima can tell, even from this far away; it’s actually quite intimidating, and he’s sure the pins would be shaking if they were sentient. Then he swings his arm back, rotating his wrist and letting the ball go with a strange method: it practically jumps out of his hand as the thumb hole makes a quick popping sound when his digit leaves it.

Ushijima watches the ball roll, making a severe curve in the middle of its descent. It hooks so harshly that it dangerously rides the line of the gutter, only to swing back around and collide perfectly between the 1 and 3 pins. All the pins fall down, quickly, loudly, and Ushijma’s breath catches in his throat.

“Woooo!” the man cheers for himself as he spins around and faces an invisible crowd. 

The family a few lanes down has taken notice, and they’ve started to clap as well. The stranger gives a dramatic bow, specifically in the direction of the young boy, who looks absolutely starstruck. 

Ushijima, admittedly, feels a bit starstruck too. Who is this guy? How long has he been bowling here? Is he new? Surely not, if he has some complex handshake with one of the employees. Has Ushijima really _never_ seen him before? Never bowled at the same time as him, despite frequenting this alley almost every single night? He would definitely remember him if he had, right? Does he realize how risky a hook like that is? What is his rate of actually hitting the pins versus getting a gutter ball? Is it something he’s actually mastered or is this just a moment of pure luck?

Noticing that his bowling ball is about to slide out of his hands, Ushijima forces his attention back to his lane, back to his scoreboard with a single foul mark in the first frame. How embarrassing. He’s tempted to start fresh, but that would be giving in. And Ushijima _doesn’t_ give in. Especially not when he clearly has some competition.

His next frame goes much better: he manages a clean and perfectly-aimed strike. His focus is starting to come back, and he makes a silent goal to himself to fully come back from his previous stumble. He _will_ manage to get his highest score of the night, and he will not accept anything less.

**\-----**

Tendou is _really_ starting to feel it now — the powerful spirit of victory. He feels it in his fingers, in his wrist, even though it’s properly braced. The music is loud and it’s building up his enthusiasm, the family next to him is watching and cheering and it makes him feel like he’s on top of the world. _This_ is why he loves bowling.

His ball comes rolling back to him and he carefully takes it in his hands. Despite the oil that he’s sure is covering its surface, he plants a quick kiss to its surface, whispering encouraging words to it. Yes, he knows it’s not sentient and it can’t hear him, but maybe, just _maybe_ there’s a possibility that it _can_. And if that’s the case, he wants to feel confident that he has a good relationship with his weapon of choice.

He holds the ball in his hands, drawing it back and twisting his wrist before releasing yet another severely-hooked throw. This time, it doesn’t ride the gutter line as much, but it hits dead center on the 1 pin, leaving him with a rather difficult split. 

Oh well. He can’t get it perfect every single time, and that’s okay! He’s in it to have fun, and regardless of the result of his swings, he usually enjoys himself quite a bit. Sure, it’s always way more entertaining when he can get his throws just right, when he rides the gutter line so closely that everyone in the room is convinced he’s going to get a gutter ball. Which _does_ happen sometimes, admittedly, but still… the feeling of anticipation is awesome, and it usually garners him quite an audience by the time he’s halfway through his first game.

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t care about the attention. He most certainly does, mostly because it makes him play a lot better.

A 7-10 split like this is possible to hit, though it’s quite difficult and requires dead-on accuracy. He’s done it before and he’s sure he _might_ get it this time; he’ll leave that decision up to his ball. All he can do is roll it to the best of his abilities. 

“Alrighty,” he whispers to the ball, gently patting its surface before sliding his fingers into its holes, “work your charm~”

This time he has to move even farther to the left, almost to the middle of the lane next to him. Thankfully, there’s nobody using that lane, but if there were he would make sure to stay out of their way and wait his turn. His goal is to hit the 7 pin _just_ right, causing it to fly over and smack into the 10 pin. Again, it’s possible, but it’s quite unlikely. Professionals can definitely handle it, but he wouldn’t call himself a professional. More so just a very enthusiastic frequent league player. 

Tendou swings his arm back, twists his wrist, and lets go of his bowling ball. It achieves its signature hook, but doesn’t go quite as close to the gutter this time. Miraculously, it smacks into the 7 pin, sending it flying over to collide with the 10 pin. He’s managed a spare.

“Yeah!” he practically yells, spinning around and raising both arms in celebration.

The boy in the other lane loudly cheers too, his parents encouraging his enthusiasm and clapping along with him. Tendou jogs over, leaning down and extending a hand to give him a high-five. The boy is sheepish for a second, but Tendou’s always been good with kids; his excitement usually wins them over.

“You’re so good!” the boy exclaims.

“Thanks! You too, I bet!” Tendou grins, glances at the scoreboard for the family and points at it, “See? 50 is a big number!”

The boy nods and bounces in place. Tendou pats him on the head, stands up again, and gives his parents a wave and a smile.

Tendou heads back to his lane, whistling as he goes and staring towards the other end of the alley. At the far end is a man about his age, readying himself to roll his own ball. Tendou pauses before continuing his own game, watching as the guy brings his arm back and swings with so much force that the ball is down the lane in what seems like an instant. The pins explode, earning him a strike. 

Even just watching, Tendou wants to cheer for him. He’s shocked to see that the guy doesn’t even take a moment to bask in his success. He only glances at the scoreboard and waits for his ball to come back. Obviously he’s either completely used to getting strikes, or he’s so clueless to the scoring system of bowling that he simply doesn’t recognize what he’s just done.

Tendou supposes that it’s the first option, and that immediately piques his interest. 

Well, if the universe wants to pose him an interesting challenge, so be it. Tendou wordlessly declares this man to be his rival, at least for this evening. He returns to the start of his lane, bouncing in place while he prepares himself for yet another swing.

Eight frames later and he’s looking at a score of nearly 200. Pretty good, considering he’d come in tonight without giving himself any sort of goal. Those can be annoying sometimes, because if you don’t meet them, you’re just left feeling disappointed. And that’s no fun!

With his own game completed, he glances over in the direction of his self-declared rival. It looks like he’s packing up for the night, which is really unfortunate. Tendou had considered asking to play a round with him, just for fun. Oh well, he can at least go over and introduce himself. 

He crosses the alley with a skip in his step, feeling like he’s sneaking up on the stranger when he doesn’t even look up from packing his bag. Tendou leans on the table, watching him carefully slip his towel into the bag. 

Tendou certainly hadn’t been prepared for how handsome the man is, that’s for sure. The way his bangs hang down just over his eyebrows, the sharp line of his jaw, his strong cheekbones, the bulging of his biceps underneath his well-fit polo shirt… 

Tendou sighs, and that must have been enough to get his rival’s attention. He looks up at Tendou, confusion filling his face for a second before realization washes over him.

“Hey!” Tendou smiles, “Whatsup? Saw you from my lane,” he gestures to the center lane with his thumb, “you’ve got a killer swing.”

**\-----**

Ushijima stares blankly at the stranger, a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. He had really hoped to get out of here before he would inevitably come over to greet him. He just hopes that he won’t look at the scoreboard, where he still has an ugly foul mark in the first frame. The rest of the game went well, with only two total open frames, but still.

“Hello,” Ushijima greets him, zipping the flap of his ball bag, “thank you.”

He debates whether or not he should comment on the stranger’s skills as well, but the man is staring at him with wide expectant eyes. He supposes his decision has been made for him.

“Your hook is impressive.”

The man’s eyes light up and he smiles, big and wide, “Ah! So you _were_ watching me!” he laughs, “I mean, I was watching you too, but you were super focused, kinda in your own world over here.”

“That’s the point. It’s quiet,” he points out, though that jab doesn’t seem to hit its mark, “and I can focus much easier.”

“Cool!” he nods, looking towards the scoreboard, then back at Ushijima, “I was wondering if you wanted to play a round? I know you’re packing up but,” he shrugs, “might be fun!”

Ushijima’s stomach churns. Another game? Three games is usually his limit, for fear of overworking himself and his body. His arm already feels quite sore, but a challenge is a challenge, and Ushijima never turns them down. 

“Ya’ don’t have to,” he shrugs again, leaning his elbows on the table, “I get it if you’re tired, don’t worry.”

He certainly doesn’t want this guy to think he’s tired..

“Okay,” he agrees, “I will play one round with you.”

“Sweet!” the stranger’s hands smack against the surface of the table as he stands up straight again, “I’ll go start up another game, meetcha over there!”

And with that, he’s off, back to the lane he’d previously been playing on. Ushijima thinks it’s a bit unfair for him to be able to choose the lane; that just gives him an added advantage. He decides that this is fine, he’ll just have to play to the best of his abilities in order to win.

Ushijima grabs his gear and follows him, placing it next to the designated table. The stranger hums as he inputs his own name, then turns to face Ushijima.

“Hey! What was your name?”

Ushijima glances at the screen above the lane, his stomach dropping when he reads the name of the man he’s been challenged by.

Tendou. The one always trailing just behind him on the high score board, inching closer and closer every single week.

He keeps staring, realization hitting him like a brick. So _this_ is the man he’s been so adamant about defeating every week. This man, with a risky and precise hook, with flashy clothing that isn’t at all necessary, with a voice so loud and booming that it must distract anybody he plays with.

“Helloooo~ Don’t tell me you’re already pooping out on me!” Tendou teases, waving a hand in Ushijima’s direction.

“Sorry,” Ushijima shakes his head as he focuses again, looking at Tendou and clearly stating his name, “I’m Ushijima.”

“Okie dokie!” Tendou turns to the console again, inputting Ushijima’s name.

There’s a slight feeling of disappointment when Ushijima notices that Tendou doesn’t seem to vocally recognize the name. Does he not watch the scoreboard? It’s a little infuriating if he doesn’t; but Ushijima knows that’s a childish feeling to have. Not everybody plays for competition, and clearly Tendou is more focused on the fun aspect of bowling.

“Done!” Tendou declares, stepping back from the console and clapping his hands together in excitement, “and now we play!”

Tendou makes a scene out of grabbing his ball, spinning on his heel and smirking at Ushijima, “Watch,” he holds his ball up to his face, squishing his cheek against it in a strange show of affection, “you’ll _really_ get to see that ‘impressive hook’ this time.”

Ushijima narrows his eyes. Why is he letting this guy get under his skin? He doesn’t like when the thing he’s passionate about is taken so lightly, but he also realizes that Tendou’s skill gives him every right to approach the sport in whatever way he pleases. His skills speak for themselves already, but it seems that he wants to broadcast them as loudly and obviously as possible.

As expected, Tendou’s swing is strong, quick, and it sends the ball flowing down the lane in a huge arc. It teeters just slightly on the line into the gutter, and Ushijima has to admit he holds his breath for a moment when it does.Tendou stays perfectly still, watching the ball closely and loosening up as soon as it’s about to reach its target. 

The ball hits right in the space between the 1 and 3 pins, just like before, sending the pins flying backwards. Tendou spins around again, pumping both fists and giving himself a congratulatory shout. His smile is wide, his eyes scrunched up with pure bliss. Ushijima wonders for a moment if he’s ever experienced that much joy in his life. He’s certain he has, but he’s definitely never had a reaction quite like that. 

Tendou approaches him, both hands raised in a request for a high-five. Ushijima stares awkwardly at him, still trying to wrap his brain around just how impressive of a bowling this strange man is.

“Aw, c’mon,” Tendou scoffs, “good sportsmanship, Ushijima! Ya’ gotta have it!”

Clearly he’s not going to move until Ushijima gives him what he wants. He offers him a gentle high-five, to which Tendou has yet another loud cheer about.

“This is fun!” he exclaims, plopping into one of the spinning chairs at the table, “You’re up!”

Ushijima looks at the scoreboard, at the single ‘X’ in Tendou’s first frame. He knows he has to perform just as well this game, if not better. And for that, he’ll need a strike right off the bat.

His bowling ball feels extra heavy in his hand, probably due to his slight exhaustion from already playing three games. He won’t let Tendou see that, he’ll roll this ball with just as much strength and precision as he usually does. He holds the ball in his hands, staring straight down the lane and taking a breath. He mentally marks the spot he wants to hit -- just between the 1 and 2 pins -- swings his arm back, locks his wrist, takes his approaching steps, and releases.

It flies down the lane just as quickly as usual; Tendou can be heard calling out ‘boom!’ when he lets go. Unfortunately, Ushijima notices immediately that he’s missed his mark by just a few inches. Most of the pins are sent flying, but the 10 pin stays where it is, wordlessly haunting Ushijima. It’s the pin he has the most trouble hitting when it’s left by itself.

He quietly curses under his breath, trying to ignore the sound of Tendou’s ‘no worries!’. He doesn’t want his pity, doesn’t want his apologetic cheers. What he wants is a perfect strike, something that will match Tendou’s score. Now he’s set back, and all he can hope for is to roll better next time. Either that, or the end of Tendou’s enthusiasm and steam, which he doesn’t seem even close to losing at this point.

Even worse, he doesn’t manage to hit the pin. He’s starting this game in the worst possible way: with an open frame.

Ushijima takes his seat at the table again, allowing Tendou to give him a high-five even though he doesn’t feel he deserves one. Tendou immediately jumps up, doing a little dance as he approaches the lane again. 

As soon as his neon bowling ball is in his hands, he’s whispering something to it. Ushijima doesn’t know why he’d bother talking to an inanimate object, but he supposes he shouldn’t be surprised by anything Tendou does at this point. 

Ushijima watches with dread as Tendou rolls yet another perfect ball, sending all ten pins flying as he cheers for himself. The score is definitely unbalanced now. Ushijima wonders if he has any chance of defeating Tendou at this point. Maybe it would be easier to throw in the towel and call it a night before the end of the game even approaches. 

But that would be giving up, and Ushijima does _not_ give up.

Tendou’s strikes peter out, but he’s still managing spares almost every single frame. He has one open frame, and when his dangerous hook ends up falling in the gutter, he doesn’t even get upset about it. He _laughs_, turns around and shrugs it off. Ushijima didn’t expect him to blow up necessarily, but he would have expected at least a little bit of a negative response.

Ushijima’s rolls continue to be off by just a few inches. He knows his arm is tired and he shouldn’t have even agreed to this game, but he realizes he has to see the match to its end, even if it obviously means defeat. 

The final score ends with Tendou’s impressive 227 versus Ushijima’s lackluster 143. 

Even worse, Tendou’s beaten this week’s high score: Ushijima’s 223 from two days ago.

When Ushijima realizes this, he turns towards the front desk, watches as the man with the cigarette changes the name and score in the first place slot, watches as his own name moves down and Tendou’s moves up.

He _definitely_ shouldn’t have accepted this challenge.

“Wanna do another?” Tendou grins, commanding Ushijima’s attention and staring pleadingly at him. 

Is he not paying attention to the scoreboard? Ushijima would be shocked, but based on his attitude towards bowling, Tendou’s disregard for it seems to be expected. Maybe he doesn’t care about high scores at all.

“I can’t,” Ushijima replies, doing his best to hide his shame, “my arm is quite sore, I don’t want to overwork it.”

“Ah, okay!” Tendou nods, still retaining his aura of joy, “That’s alright! Another time, then?”

Ushijima is exhausted. He’d already been tired after three games, but after this final one, after Tendou’s extreme enthusiasm, he feels like he needs a long night’s sleep.

But… his offer of playing another time… Ushijima’s interest spikes at that. The opportunity to beat him next time? It’s one he thinks he needs to seize. He believes with full confidence that he’ll be able to defeat Tendou another day, when he’s had proper rest and is at his strongest.

“Yes,” he agrees as he packs away his bowling ball, “I would like to play again, another day.”

“Really?!” Tendou sits at the table, props his head up in his hands, “Sounds good! What day? What time? Oh -- !” he holds up a finger, reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone, “What’s your number? We can talk it out!”

Ushijima is having a hard time keeping up with Tendou and his words. He speaks very quickly, very expressively, and it’s a bit distracting how he uses his hands a lot. Regardless, Ushijima also pulls out his phone, agreeing to exchange numbers. It’s strange that he’s only known Tendou for maybe an hour now and he’s already getting his number.

“Sweet!” Tendou shoots a quick test text to Ushijima to confirm he has the number, “Well, hey, it was nice to meet you, Ushijima! Nice to see another enthusiast!”

Enthusiast… Ushijima would consider himself one, yes, but after being around Tendou for an hour he’s wondering just how enthusiastic one would need to be in order to be called an ‘enthusiast’. Tendou would most certainly have that title, without question.

“You too,” Ushijima gives Tendou a brief bow before swinging his bowling bag over his shoulder, “I look forward to our next match.”

And with that, he leaves the bowling alley. Tendou waves him off with a grin, immediately returning to the alley and preparing for another game. Ushijima wonders if there’s any end to his energy. If there isn’t, that’s a scary thought. He could play all night until the sun rises. Maybe he doesn’t even need sleep.

Ushijima shakes his head, ridding himself of these silly thoughts. Regardless of how human Tendou is or isn’t, he’s going to defeat him next time. He wants his name back in first place.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you thought, I love any and all comments. Also feel free to reach out to me on twitter, I'd be honored if you wanted to talk to me! (esp about tendou, ushiten, or shiratorizawa in general!) ♡
> 
> art twitter: [tendouaf](http://www.twitter.com/tendouaf)  
main twitter: [ushitentxt](http://www.twitter.com/ushitentxt) (I'm most active here)  
tumblr: [tendou-satori](http://www.tendou-satori.tumblr.com)  
art blog: [kat-doodles](http://www.kat-doodles.tumblr.com)


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